Rail mounted sidemarker and clearance light

ABSTRACT

An elastomeric lamp base fastened to a vehicle body surface seals a protective cavity into which conductors extend. Conductive contact elements embedded in the base body for electrical power and ground paths from different terminal socket locations adapted to accommodate different types of lamp units. A resilient rim on the base releasably holds the lamp unit firmly seated in the base with the lamp terminals received in the appropriate socket formations.

1r Unite States atem 1191 1111 33 35 1 16 Morrison 22, 1973 [54] RAILMOUNTED SIDEMARKER AND 3,218,448 11/1965 Cala .124O/8.2 CLEARANCE LIGHT3,400,262 9/1968 Newman et al ....240/s.2 2,853,595 9/1958 Baldwin..240/8.3 1 lnvemorl Charles Morrison, Frewsburg, 3,125,299 3/1964Woofter et al. ...240/41.55 x N.Y. 3,474,381 10/1969 Baldwin 1240/82 XAssignee: g g Inc, Jamestown, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 706,2473/1954 Great Britain ..339/l84 R [22] Filed: Nov. 9, 1971 [211 App]. No;197,073 Primary Examiner-J0seph F. Peters, .lr.

Attorney-Harvey B. Jacobson [52] U.S. Cl 240/8.2, 240/52 R, 240/52.1, 57CT 339/184 L, 339/192 RL, 339/195 L 51 1m. (:1. ..B60q 1/32 elastomenclamp base fastened a vehcle body [58] Field of S ear ch 240 I 7 1 A 7 1G surface seals a protective cavity into which conductors 240/7 3 8 8 26i extend. Conductive contact elements embedded in the 73 35 5 7 5 basebody for electrical power and ground paths from different terminalsocket locations adapted to accommodate different types of lamp units. Aresilient rim on the base releasably holds the lamp unit firmly [56]References Cited seated in the base with the lamp terminals received inUNITED STATES PATENTS the appropriate socket formations. 3,633,0211/1972 Rossi ..240/8.2 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures RAIL MOUNTEDSIDEMARKER AND CLEARANCE LIGHT This invention relates to vehicle lampassemblies and more particularly to a lamp mounting base in combinationwith lamp units of different types.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a lampmounting base adapted to be fastened to dimensionally restricted vehiclesupporting surfaces such as the upper aluminum rail of a trailer capableof receiving lamp units with different terminal prong arrangements. Lampinstallations of this type must not only be economically feasible, butmust also cope with the problems of vibration and extreme weatherconditions. Thus, the present invention is addressed to the provision ofa firm and weather resistant installation for various lamp assemblies.

In accordance with the present invention, a lamp mounting base isfastened onto a vertical vehicle surface by means of screw fastenersextending through tapering end portions of the base. When fastened inplace, the base encloses and seals a cavity against the supportingsurface into which electrical conductors extend from an available loopwire harness arrangement in order to supply electrical energy to thelamp unit adapted to be releasably held in position on the lamp base.The lamp base is accordingly provided with a resilient rim adapted toreleasably hold in operative position the lens cover of a lamp unit. Theterminals projecting from the lamp are received within socket formationsformed in the base to accommodate different terminal locations.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a typical installation for thelamp assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the disassembled componentsassociated with the lamp assembly.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another type of lamp unit capable ofbeing used with the lamp mounting base.

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the lamp holder.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through section line 5-5in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through a plane indicated bysection line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through a plane indicated bysection 77 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a rear plan view of the lamp holder.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the power contact element in the lampholder.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the ground contact element in the lampholder.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 illustrates a typicalinstallation for the lamp assembly generally denoted by referencenumeral 10 on a vertical vehicle surface such as the upper aluminum rail12 of a trailer. The lamp assembly includes the lamp mounting basegenerally referred to by reference numeral 14 and a sealed type of lampunit generally referred to by reference numeral 16. As shown in FIG. 2,the lamp unit includes a relatively rigid lens housing 18 secured to arecessed bottom reflector 20 having a central boss formation 22 fromwhich a pair of terminals 24 project in offset relation to thegeometrical center of the lamp unit. Each longitudinal end of thehousing may be provided with retainer lugs 26. Alternatively, the base14 may receive a sealed lamp unit 16 as shown in FIG. 3. This type oflamp unit is disclosed in detail in copending application Ser. No.191,907, filed Oct. 22, 1971, and includes a centrally projecting baseportion 17 of a wedge-type bulb. Also, a lamp unit consisting of awedge-type bulb enclosed by a separate lens cover could be accommodated.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the lamp mounting base 14 consists of anelongated base body 28 made of an elastomeric material that maintainsits elastically deformable properties both at subzero temperatures andat elevated temperatures. The base body includes convergent end anchorportions 30 provided with openings 32 receiving screw fasteners 34adapted to be threaded into the supporting surface 12 in order to firmlyhold the base body on the surface as well as to establish any groundconnections. Electrical energy is supplied to the lamp assembly throughthe base by means of the conductors 36 which enter the base through theunderside as shown in FIG. 8.

The mounting base includes a continuous, outer wall portion 38 which ispositioned substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface 12 andin the illustrated embodiment, forms a rectangular formation with theanchor portions 30 extending from the longitudinal ends of therectangular formation. Integrally connected to the outer wall 38, is aninternal supporting wall 40 in parallel spaced relation to thesupporting surface 12 so as to form an internal cavity 42 within thebase body that is sealed against the supporting surface 12 when the bodyis fastened thereto by the fasteners 34. The cavity 42 thus forms aprotective enclosure into which conductors 36 extend from the vehicle.

A formation 44 projects from the internal wall 40 into the cavity 42.This formation receives the conductors at either longitudinal endthrough openings 48. The conductors are connected to connectors 46 incontact with a conductive contact element 50 as shown in FIG. 9hereafter described in detail. The contact element 50 is embedded in theformation 44 of the base body which also embeds a second conductivecontact element 52 as shown in FIG. 10 to be hereafter described indetail. A central socket formation 54 projects forwardly from the wall40 and is adapted to receive the base portion of any wedge-type bulbsuch as base 17 of bulb unit 16. Two pairs of smaller socket openings 56are formed on the wall 40 on either side of the central socket formation54. One pair of the openings 56 are adapted to receive the pair ofoffset terminals 24 projecting from a lamp unit 16 of the type shown inFIG. 2. Thus, the base 14 is adapted to receive two diverse types oflamp units.

By virtue of the offset relationship of the terminals 24 to thegeometric center of its lamp unit 16 and the lamp mounting base 14, afirm physical and electrical contact is established between theterminals 24 and the connectors 46 within the socket formations 56 in amanner similar to the arrangement disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,218,448to Cala owned by the same assignee as the present application. However,the lamp unit 16 need not be orientated for insertion into the base asin the aforementioned patent, since two pairs of openings 56 areprovided. Also, the outer wall 38 is provided with a resilient in-turnedrim S8 peripherally dimensioned equal to the rectangular dimension ofthe lamp unit 16 so that the retainer projections 26 will deflect therim and be held thereunder for releasably yet firmly holding the lampunit in its operative position.

Insert of a lamp unit into the base 14 establishes electricalconnections to the power cable 36 and ground through the contactelements 50 and 52 as aforementioned. These contact elements accommodateboth types of lamp units 16 and 16'. As shown in FIG. 9, the contactelement 50 includes a centrally located, resilient grip or clip portion60 which is to be seated within the central socket formation 54 so as toreceive a portion of the base portion 17 of the bulb projecting from alamp unit 16. The clip portion 62 of contact element 52 shown in FIG. isalso seated in the socket forma tion 54 closely spaced from clip portion60 so that the base portion 17 of a wedge-type bulb will be engaged andelectrical contact made with both filament leads. A pair of arms 64extend from clip portion 60 and are connected by angularly relatedsection 66 to sleeve portions 68 receiving the power cable connectors 46aforementioned in order to establish an electrical path between a powercable 36 and the filament lead of a wedge-type bulb engaged in clipportion 60. A ground path is established from clip portion 62 by thestrip portion 70 and ring portion 72 connected to opposite ends inparallel offset relation. A connecting portion 74 interconnects clipportion 62 and the strip portion 70, also in parallel offset relation toeach other, so that the ring portions will be aligned with openings 32for engagement by fasteners 34.

The contact elements 50 and 52 also establish electrical paths withrespect to either pair of offset socket openings 56 by means of prongs76 and 78 projecting into the openings 56 as more clearly seen in FIG.6. The prongs 76 are interconnected by portion 80 spaced on either sideof clip portion 60 and connected to the clip portion by connectorportion 82. Prongs 78 are also interconnected by portion 84 with stripportion 70 so as to be positioned on either side of the associated clipportion 62. Thus, the terminals 24 will be engaged by one pair of prongs76 and 78, on either side of the central socket formation 54 when a lampunit 16 is inserted into the base.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

.1. A lamp holder comprising a body having means for releasably holdinga lamp unit, said body including a socket formation and socket openingsadjacent thereto, and a pair of conductive contact elements embedded insaid body having grip portions positioned within the socket formation inspaced relation to each other and spaced prongs extending into saidsocket openings.

2. In combination with a supporting surface and a lamp having a rigidhousing from which terminals project, a lamp mounting base made of anelastomeric material secured to said surface, said base comprising anelongated body having a continuous outer wall extending substantiallyperpendicular to said surface and an internal supporting wall integrallyconnected to the outer wall in spaced relation to the supporting surfaceto form a cavity within the body, resilient rim means connected to theouter wall for releasably holding the lamp housing in an operativeposition, socket formations on said internal supporting wall receivingthe lamp terminals in the operative position of the lamp housing andcontact means embedded in the base body and extending into the socketformations for establishing electrical paths to the lamp terminals, saidsocket formations including a central socket and a pair of socketopenings on either side of the central socket.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said contact means includes a pairof conductive contact elements having resilient grip portions positionedwithin the central socket in close spaced relation to each other andspaced prongs on either side of the grip portion extending into thesocket openings.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein one of the contact elementsfurther includes a sleeve portion embedded in the base body and a powercable connector embraced by the sleeve portion exposed to said cavity.

5. A lamp holder base adapted to receive diverse types of lamp unitshaving projecting terminals at different locations, comprising anelongated body having anchoring end portions and means for resilientlyholding a lamp unit in operative position, said body being formed with acentral socket and a pair of socket openings on either side of thecentral socket, and a pair of conductive contact elements embedded insaid body having resilient grip portions positioned within the centralsocket in close spaced relation to each other and spaced prongs oneither side of the grip portions extending into the socket openings.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein one of the contact elementsfurther includes a sleeve portion embedded in the base body and a powercable connector embraced by the sleeve portion.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the other of the contact elementfurther includes ring portions aligned within the anchoring end portionsof the body to form ground connections.

1. A lamp holder comprising a body having means for releasably holding alamp unit, said body including a socket formation and socket openingsadjacent thereto, and a pair of conductive contact elements embedded insaid body having grip portions positioned within the socket formation inspaced relation to each other and spaced prongs extending into saidsocket openings.
 2. In combination with a supporting surface and a lamphaving a rigid housing from which terminals project, a lamp mountingbase made of an elastomeric material secured to said surface, said basecomprising an elongated body having a continuous outer wall extendingsubstantially perpendicular to said surface and an internal supportingwall integrally connected to the outer wall in spaced relation to thesupporting surface to form a cavity within the body, resilient rim meansconnected to the outer wall for releasably holding the lamp housing inan operative position, socket formations on said internal supportingwall receiving the lamp terminals in the operative position of the lamphousing and contact means embedded in the base body and extendinG intothe socket formations for establishing electrical paths to the lampterminals, said socket formations including a central socket and a pairof socket openings on either side of the central socket.
 3. Thecombination of claim 2 wherein said contact means includes a pair ofconductive contact elements having resilient grip portions positionedwithin the central socket in close spaced relation to each other andspaced prongs on either side of the grip portion extending into thesocket openings.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein one of thecontact elements further includes a sleeve portion embedded in the basebody and a power cable connector embraced by the sleeve portion exposedto said cavity.
 5. A lamp holder base adapted to receive diverse typesof lamp units having projecting terminals at different locations,comprising an elongated body having anchoring end portions and means forresiliently holding a lamp unit in operative position, said body beingformed with a central socket and a pair of socket openings on eitherside of the central socket, and a pair of conductive contact elementsembedded in said body having resilient grip portions positioned withinthe central socket in close spaced relation to each other and spacedprongs on either side of the grip portions extending into the socketopenings.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein one of the contactelements further includes a sleeve portion embedded in the base body anda power cable connector embraced by the sleeve portion.
 7. Thecombination of claim 6 wherein the other of the contact element furtherincludes ring portions aligned within the anchoring end portions of thebody to form ground connections.